


School Days

by AirgiodSLV



Series: 28 Lotrips AUs Challenge [18]
Category: The Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-06
Updated: 2006-05-06
Packaged: 2019-07-20 12:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16137455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirgiodSLV/pseuds/AirgiodSLV
Summary: Elijah nodded agreement, but Dom was already moving on, giving his brief version of what Elijah assumed was the standard orientation speech. “Bathroom is down the hall, don’t leave your stuff in there or it’ll walk. Try not to poke around in anyone else’s stuff, but if you do…” He shrugged amicably. “The general rule is you see it, you don’t talk about it.”





	School Days

**Author's Note:**

> AU #5, for [](https://cindyjade.livejournal.com/profile)[cindyjade](https://cindyjade.livejournal.com/).

“There are a few things you need to know,” Dom announced as they reached the top of the stairs, heading down the noisy dorm corridor while young men looked out curiously at them through open doors, playing music from battered stereos and shouting over games of wastepaper basketball in rooms that seemed surely too small to hold four people each.

“Bill’s assigned to our floor, so if you need anything, go to him. But don’t waste his time with stuff like toilet paper, that’s for the janitors. They’re in the basement during most days, just take the stairs.”

A mostly-naked student streaked down the hall past them, yelling something incoherent. Dom sidestepped neatly, almost as if expecting this turn of events, while Elijah was flattened against the wall with his trunk slamming the breath out of his chest, as the student ricocheted off of him and continued down the hallway. Dom was still walking, and Elijah hastened to catch up, lugging his trunk along awkwardly.

“This is us, #204, and don’t lose your key, because no one will want to get up at 4 AM to let you in, and that’s assuming we’re even here.” Dom swung the door wide and gestured for Elijah to precede him. “Curfew is at eleven, so don’t get caught out past that. The hallway isn’t exactly patrolled, but still, your best bet late at night is out the window.”

The room was identical to the others they’d passed, with minor variations in the position of the desk and the assorted posters, books, and electronics of the three other residents cluttering it up. Elijah looked around to find someplace to set his trunk, and settled for the bed when he couldn’t find a bare patch of floor.

“The radio is Orlando’s, but you can use it as long as you always set the station back. He’s crazy, theatre type, always needs to be able to turn his music on and hear classical.” Dom shrugged. “I’m more for rock myself.”

Elijah nodded agreement, but Dom was already moving on, giving his brief version of what Elijah assumed was the standard orientation speech. “Bathroom is down the hall, don’t leave your stuff in there or it’ll walk. Try not to poke around in anyone else’s stuff, but if you do…” He shrugged amicably. “The general rule is you see it, you don’t talk about it.”

“Is this him?” someone asked behind them, and Elijah turned around to see a tall young man with a towel wrapped around his waist and damp curls in complete disarray on his head.

“Yeah, this is Elijah, he’s the Yank,” Dom answered, just as Elijah opened his mouth to introduce himself.

“Hey, Yank. I’m Orlando. Did Dom tell you about the radio?” Orlando went to the closet and dug through the pockets of a faded military dress jacket until he found a crumpled packet of cigarettes, which he drew out and tapped loose.

“I thought smoking was prohibited…” Elijah began in confusion, but Orlando just rolled his eyes and Dom huffed.

“I just told you; you see it, you don’t talk about it. We have a code here, we all look out for each other,” Dom explained impatiently. “If the administration asks, you didn’t see anything. Got it?”

“I guess,” Elijah responded, bewildered, just as an older man appeared, frowning in the doorway.

“Dom, are you coming?” he asked, voice thick with what Elijah thought he identified as a Scottish accent. Dom snapped out of his lazy lounge at once, arms falling to his sides. The other man’s gaze flicked to Elijah briefly. “This must be Wood.”

“Yeah, I just finished showing him around,” Dom said, leaning slightly towards the doorway. “Elijah, this is Bill.”

Bill nodded acknowledgement, but his eyes had already dismissed Elijah completely. “Dom?” he prompted, and Dom nodded. Bill nodded in return, apparently satisfied, and walked away.

“What’s wrong?” Elijah asked, not quite ready to be left alone in a strange place. As briefly as they’d known each other, Dom was really the only familiar face. “What else do you have to do? Where are you going?”

Orlando snickered, and Elijah saw him draw his cigarette out from behind his back where it had been hidden, blowing smoke out the open window. “They have an arrangement,” he smirked, and Elijah was shocked to see Dom flush before looking away.

“Dom,” Bill’s voice floated from down the hallway, and Dom jumped, already in motion towards the open door. Elijah gaped, finally putting together Dom’s flush and Orlando’s snicker and Bill’s look, predatory and hungry.

“Remember,” Dom said suddenly, pausing in the open doorway to give Elijah a quick look. “You didn’t see anything.”


End file.
